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Runner beans

DbolamsDbolams Posts: 6
in Fruit & veg
hi,
first time allotment person seeking advice. Planted my runner bean seeds in April but apparently can’t plant out til end of May (live in Sheffield). They just seem to be growing taller and taller; they are near a window in kitchen. Got loo roll idea from pin interest don’t really see the point. Just not sure what to do with them now for next 6 weeks. Thanks 
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  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    Umm.. good luck?  Don't worry too much, we've all planted too early a multitude of times.  I would post them up in bunches of two or three in larger pots with a stick stuck in for support.  Then just plant the larger pots at the base of each pole.  Another option would be to cut them back to the first set of leaves, and each plant will grow two new vines.  Not ideal, but it will check the growth.  I sometimes do it in the late summer for a second flush of beans.  
    Utah, USA.
  • jude13097jude13097 Posts: 3

    I used to be able to sprout my runner bean seeds, but for the last two years I have had real trouble getting them to sprout. This year is an all time low, out of a tray of 24 seeds, only one seed has sprouted.  Is anyone else having trouble like this and if not, what am I doing wrong? Any advice greatly appreciated.


  • DbolamsDbolams Posts: 6
    Blue Onion said:
    Umm.. good luck?  Don't worry too much, we've all planted too early a multitude of times.  I would post them up in bunches of two or three in larger pots with a stick stuck in for support.  Then just plant the larger pots at the base of each pole.  Another option would be to cut them back to the first set of leaves, and each plant will grow two new vines.  Not ideal, but it will check the growth.  I sometimes do it in the late summer for a second flush of beans.  
    Thank you blueonion; I’ll plant in pots today. The packet said plant April to May so thought I was being organised! Seemed to be late with everything last year. By year 10; I’ll hopefully have learnt by all my mistakes!
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    1st of May is the ideal time to sow runners bean seeds, you can’t plant them out until mid June and they are the perfect height by then.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DbolamsDbolams Posts: 6
    Yes that’s what I’ll do with rest of seeds and next year. Thanks 
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    No probs, no good getting any older if you don’t get any wiser, as my dad used to say😀
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DbolamsDbolams Posts: 6
     :):):)  
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933

    I was really surprised to discover that runner beans are a tropical plant so need plenty of warmth to germinate and grow. I have just started mine off in pots in the conservatory. They are very tender which is why my fully grown plants suffer from windburn if I put them out too early, they rot off if kept overwatered when seeds as well. I think we are so used to having them as a veg. we forget their origins.

    Good luck this year

  • johnbaronjohnbaron Posts: 75
    I'm in a similar predicament with my runner beans. Planted everything week before last thinking a couple of weeks to germinate and so forth as most stuff said March to May so I thought start of April (3rd) would be fine. 

    Nope.

    Wednesday, One week after planting seeds most already out of the ground: 

    Today:



    Now I wouldn't normally complain about things growing too well; but I'm not going to be able to see our of the windows by the time they are ready to go in the garden!  :D
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    They are going to need deep pots John.  By June they will be huge plants.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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